The Key to Success: The Academic Game Plan

We all know April, May and June are already the busiest times for students.
However with the Conservative party continuing to stay in power means
that we’re going to be seeing some big changes for GCSEs and A-levels.
With a more traditional structure and exam pattern being put in place
from September 2015, students will be tested in a much more challenging
way. Don’t worry though- Tutor Doctor is here to help and make these
changes easier on your children. Our very own Academic Game Plan will
provide your child with all the skills they’ll need to prepare and
most importantly succeed.

So what are the changes? In a nutshell the biggest changes surrounding GCSEs and A-Levels are concerning
the exams. Modular exams will become a thing of the past, swapped for
a more traditional approach, whereby all exams will become linear and
taken at the end of the two-year course. The Department of Education is
also planning on making exams tougher so that they reflect the high expectations
of Universities. Other changes include a new 1-9 grading scale for GCSEs
(9 being the highest), alongside AS results not counting towards the final
A-Level grade (currently counts for 50%).

When are they happening? These changes will start being phased in from September 2015 in core subjects
such as GCSE Maths and English Literature/Language, alongside A-Level
Art and Design, Biology, Psychology and Sociology. By September 2017 all
subjects will have transitioned and be following the new structure. For
more detailed information on these changes read the official Ofqual statementhere.

What is the Academic Game Plan? With these new GCSE and A-Level exam structures taking a more traditional
approach, comes a new challenge for students, one that will require them
to really focus and hone in on their executive skills. These executive
skills include areas such as: time management,organisation, memory, prioritisation,
focused attention and task initiation. We realise these skills aren’t
something easy to acquire as they aren’t always taught at school,
which is why we developed the
Academic Game Plan.

Through our Academic Game Plan we aim to teach students how to master these
executive skills and apply them to their studying. This means that they
will learn how to become more organised, manage their time effectively,
as well as understand how to prioritise certain tasks over others. With
GCSEs and A-Levels now having exams at the end of the course, being faced
with having to remember two years worth of information is going to be
overwhelming and scary. Having a grasp of all of these vital skills will
help make students feel in control and as if they have a lot more time
on their hands.

We believe that building this unique skill-set is the key to success and
will help your child achieve their academic goals and beyond. No matter
if students are with us for three weeks or three years, we want every
individual to have learned a formula for success and independently apply
it even when we’re not there.

How Tutor Doctor can help? The most important thing is to not worry about these changes- Tutor Doctor
is here to help. Our tutoring services are tailored specifically to your
child and take place in the comfort of your own home. Most importantly
we integrate the Academic Game Plan into all tutoring sessions, as we
believe it’s important to provide your child with all the tools
and skills they will need to thrive not only at school but also in later life.

All of our tutors are highly qualified but are also passionate about providing
students with the most personalised and professional one-on-one tutoring
service. What makes them really special is that they are dedicated in
helping your child succeed and thrive off watching them grow. We also
handpick each tutor to ensure that they are best suited for your child.